


The Lady Killing Romantic

by orphan_account



Category: The Get Down (TV)
Genre: Fat Annie - Freeform, M/M, Sexual Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-08
Updated: 2017-05-08
Packaged: 2018-10-29 09:57:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10851612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: It's not who you think.Grandmaster Flash sees something he shouldn't. Shaolin wouldn't want him to - he knows - but he feels compelled to inform Shao's wings.





	The Lady Killing Romantic

 

It's a shock when he sees it. He's on a fire escape, just about to take a drag from his cigarette when they spill into the alley. 

Usually Flash wouldn't be anywhere near Les Inferno, it's not exactly in his neighborhood. But today - and maybe that was why it had to be today - he never would have seen it otherwise.

There's tears and bruises smudged across Shaolin Fantastic's face. Only, he doesn't look so much like his grasshopper now. He's been stripped of his clothes and of his bravado, of the very image of well being he usually projects. He's in his briefs, and his legs are all bruised up. There's hickeys across his chest. Fat Annie is digging a finger into Shao's chest and whispering something in his ear.

"Please don't make me."  

Flash hears that, hears the low whimper at the end, and the pleading in the voice. He doesn't sound like Shao either.

Shaolin wouldn't want him to see this, he knows that deeply even as he knows that he needs to see. Needs the blind fold to be stripped away from him because he would never have imagined this. He had known that Shaolin Fantastic - the image of Shaolin Fantastic was meticulously crafted, arranged as carefully as a beat, and he had never thought to look much beyond it.

Shaolin only takes a minute - less than - until he's straightening himself out. His face blanks and his limbs seem strong, sturdy. The tremor is minute, and if Shao had had any clothes on, Flash wouldn't have seen it at all. 

Shao walks like a lamb, who knows it's going to be slaughtered, into the lion's den.

 

 

The first thing Flash thinks to do, is to inform Shao's wings. Shaolin is likable, incredibly so and to a good many people, but it'll take steel, guts, and loyalty to go against Fat Annie.

He finds the older of the three brothers - the weird one - first. 

"Grandmaster." The boy nods. The far away look in his eyes puts Flash on edge.

"I need to speak with you."

"Is this about The Get Down Brothers? Because you know that's finished now."

"First I've heard of it." he says, because it is and maybe the picture starts to become a little clearer.

Only - Shao had been with Fat Annie then too, hadn't he?

"I need you to get the crew together." He continues.

"No." The boy says, and his face is relaxed, a little hazy but trying for stern. "We're done with that. Boo's in juvie because of Shaolin."

He says the last sentence like that explains everything. Only it doesn't. Flash remembers a time when they screwed up - and he'd only allowed himself to hear the story afterwards and he regrets not saying anything to Shao, not _acknowledging_ \- and Shao had prostrated himself for all of them.

"Y'all need to hear what I've got to say."

"Maybe you didn't hear me." The boy says, a little rude, "Shaolin has little kids running drugs - had my little brother running drugs."

About the time the boy's jacked boyfriend shows up Flash makes himself scarce. 

The puzzle pieces are falling into place, and Flash doesn't like the cover picture.

 

 

He goes to the MC next, and this one he knows by name if only second hand directly from Shaolin's mouth. 

"Ezekiel Figuero." He intones impassively. 

The boy startles and halts. Looks up, a little wary.

"Grandmaster Flash." 

It had been a bitch to find him. 

"I seen Dizzee, he told me what you wanted. We're not getting back together."

"Is that what you think I want?" He asks.

"You want us to get back with Shaolin right? Did he send you?"

Flash is quiet, deciding what to say. Ezekiel bites his lip, shakes his head in exasperation.

"I can't do this now Grandmaster, I'm going to see Ra and Dizz and my girl Mylene."

"Can I come?" It kind of hurts to think it, but maybe he had been wrong when he told Shaolin to trust his wings. 

"Knock yourself out."

 

 

Figuero's girl is pretty. Her smile lights up the room when they're introduced. Her face sours though at the sound of Shaolin's name. She swings back to look at Ezekiel.

"I'm done with him Mylene, I swear." He looks tired, worn down like he really is done with Shaolin Fantastic and The Get Down altogether.

It hurts to think he's instructed Shaolin to make himself vulnerable to these people. These people who don't care for him. 

"I thought you and Shao were tight." He says, wants to be wrong.

"He ain't nothing but a gutter rat drug dealer," the girl snaps and by the way the other boys roll their eyes and Ezekiel sets his mouth in a thin line Flash can tell it's an old argument.

Ezekiel catches himself though, his brow furrows as he does and he nods a little reluctantly.

"So you don't care about him at all?" He says it point blank in a way that brooks no arguments.

Flash thinks if he really wanted to, he could needle them into admitting they care. He won't do that though. If they say no - if Figuero says no - it'll be the end.

The boy is perceptive though.

"Is he in some kind of trouble?" he asks, and his face goes a little wan.

"We don't care if he is." His girl takes his hand like a brand of ownership but he shrugs it off.

"Ra-" The weird kid grabs his younger brother but it's too late. He presses forward, intrigued.

"Shao's not hurt or anything though right?"

Flash doesn't tell the truth. Instead he shakes his head.

"He's in trouble."

"Ra - " The older brother tries again but gets cut off.

"No Dizz - you know Boo does whatever he wants. Even Boo doesn't hold a grudge, said he would have gone to Chino."

It's apparent Figuero hadn't heard that bit of information before. His face fills with regret and something like dread.

"Grandmaster, I know you wouldn't be here if it wasn't important. Where is he?"

"Les Inferno."

That causes a lot of muttering and confusion.

"Naw." Ezekiel says firmly, "He wouldn't have just gone back."

"Willingly." Flash adds, holds the boy's gaze.

Ezekiel sits down fast like he's going to be sick.

"So he went back to his fucking supplier? What did you expect?" 

"Mylene. Just - be quiet for a second."

"Are you telling me to shut up?" The girl walks over to the door with attitude, "Call me when you get your head out of your ass Zeke."

Then she's gone but Figuero doesn't seem to notice.

"You saw him there?" he asks.

Flash nods. Hopes he isn't making a mistake.

"He needs you. It's not going to be easy."

"Fuck!" Figuero mutters.

The one called Dizz is already herding his little brother out the door.

"We can't Books." is what he says and Figuero nods sadly and watches them go.

Flash doesn't know if just the two of them will be enough.

 

 

It's a scene.

The club is closed in the day, and so it's easy enough to hear where the noises are coming from.

Flash wants to say it's anticlimactic but it isn't. 

It's not something incredibly depraved only in context he knows that it is. It's damaging.

Fat Annie is leaning against the cushions moaning, scratching her fingers across Shao's back. His face is blank, like he's not even there, as he mechanically shoves his hips in and out.

"You're so good at this. A natural born fucker."

Something catches in Figuero's expression at the words. He swallows thickly, seems unsure. His eyes trail across Shao like they're hungry.

Flash is caught up in the ridiculousness of the situation for a second and his stomach turns. Figuero doesn't know what he's seeing. Not yet.

"Your tight ass" Annie reaches back to smack hard. Shao's expression doesn't change, like he's a mannequin. "Harder boy. Make Mama - "

It's about then that she sees them.

She startles hard and Shao flinches back. Curls into himself. 

It's worse when he sees them, or more accurately, when he sees his wordsmith.

"What the fuck - " Annie mutters but Figuero only has eyes for Shao.

Shao trembles, looks into Figuero's eyes for only a second before he's breaking the connection. He tries to cover his erection in vain. Something in Flash's chest tightens seeing him curl around himself, his entire frame wilting in shame. Fat Annie tears the covers from him and his fingers scramble for them before she knocks his hands back.

Shao's breathing looks labored and he chokes down something between a sob and a cry.

"Oh, now we back to _that_ again." Annie spits out, "You want to give your little boyfriend a show?"

She asks and Shao shakes his head _no_ frantically.

"Then get them the fuck out of here." She orders.

Flash sees it in Figuero's eyes. It's a common look, in the ghetto. 

In a few steps Figuero is across the room and then he's on the bed.

He strangles her with his bare hands.

Shao gasps when it happens, looks torn. Tries to pry Ezekiel's fingers off. Tries to reason with him.

"Wait Books - " he says, " _wait-_ "

Shao's eyes spill over with tears. "Books, _don't_ -"

Flash looks around. Starts to gather all the bottles of liquor he finds strewn around - takes his lighter out - they'll need them.

 

 

Figu-Ezekiel, dresses Shao or begins to before Shao pushes him away with shaky fingers and wide eyes.

"y-you. You shouldn't-" He says but Ezekiel hushes him in low tones.

Shaolin wipes at his face, schools his expression until Flash can almost believe nothing happened. Shaolin's jacket has gone - somewhere. Ezekiel takes his off and drapes it over Shao's shoulders. 

"No one ain't ever going to hurt you again, you hear me? Not as long as I'm around."

It's a testament to how shaken up Shao is that he doesn't say anything, doesn't explode in his studied anger, doesn't push the other boy away with his words or his hands. Ezekiel can't keep his hands to himself. He's rubbing a thumb into Shao's shoulder, stroking down Shao's arm.

"You came back." Shao says quietly, like the fact shocks him.

Flash feels invisible until Ezekiel turns to him. There's something on his face like grief.

"Grandmaster, Shao doesn't like fire." Flash knows there's a question in there somewhere.

He nods. Ezekiel salutes him, gently pulls Shaolin from the room.

Flash can catch a little of what he says lowly to Shao when he leaves.

"...gonna be okay, Curtis. Curtis - fucking gorgeous name. You okay. I know you okay-"

Flash gets to work, it's the least he can do.

No one is going to investigate another fire in the Bronx.

 

 

He sees them, days later down on the street below, sitting on some steps. Ezekiel's arm casually curled around Shao's shoulder, whispering verses into Shao's ear.

Shaolin Fantastic and His Lady Killing Romantic.

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
